Whole Partridges A L' Espagnole

It is necessary to observe, that except for partridges with cabbage, or partridges with puree of Untitles, young ones are required: these in general have yellowish claws; but it will sometimes happen that the claws and legs are of a grey, or even of a bluish colour; and yet they may be tender. Look at the extremity of the wing, if it is sharp pointed and whitish, the bird is still tender, but if those marks do not exist, the bird is invariably old, and consequently unfit for use, except as above-mentioned; or for dances, consommes, and cold patties.

The size of the dish must determine the number of birds you are to dress; in general three are wanted; empty them as usual, and take care not to injure the skin: pick them well, mix a little butter, salt, and lemon-juice: put an equal proportion into the body of each bird; cut off the sinew that is under the joint of the legs, truss the legs up towards the breast, and then sew up the birds in the following manner: first put the packthread needle through the stump of the right wing, then through the thick joint of the leg, and next across the body; then again through the other stump; let the packthread be very tight, and fasten the knot. Now from the back run the needle through the side beneath the leg, then above the pinion below the breast, so as to perforate the breast-bone: let the needle come out from the part parallel to that where first it was introduced, and then from through the side to the back, and fasten the packthread. Give a good shape to the birds; which is an indispensable branch of knowledge in the art of cookery. A man cannot be really a thorough good cook unless he is practically acquainted with every branch of his art; and this branch of it is very important, though it is certainly not easy to teach how to truss poultry or game by any written direction; you may as well at-tempt to drawing without a master. Seasoning and marking may be explained, but practice alone can make a man perfect. Such, however, as have been initiated, may derive great advantage from such a work as this. Put the partridges between layers of bacon, the same as legs of fowl, and pour a poele over them: if you happen to have no poele ready, use some of the pot-top, with a little salt, parsley, and onions, well seasoned with spice, salt, and pepper. They will be done in the course of twenty minutes, but let it be on a slow fire; drain and put them into the dish, and pour an Espagnole over them, in which you have put a little glaze of game, to give it the taste of game.

N. B. - All dishes of game require more seasoning than white fowl.

Cutlets Of Young Partridges En Epigramme, With Truffles

Take the young partridges, flay them as above; take off, first the fillets, and next the filets mignons; tear off the second skin from the fillets, point the smallest bone of the pinion, and stick it into the end of the fillet. Then season with salt and pepper; rub the fillets over with a brush that has been dipped into the yolk of an egg; then dip them into crumbs of bread, next into clarified butter; and again into crumbs of bread; just before dinner-time broil them on a very sharp fire. Sautez the filets mignons, of which you make a blanquette, in which you must mix some glaze of game. Put the blanquette into the middle of the dish, and the broiled fillets all round. Mask the fillets with some light glaze of game.

Saute Of Fillets Of Young Partridges A La Sefton

Take five young partridges, as tender as possible, and of an equal size, flay them, take up the fillets, and tear off the second skin. Next slit the fillets at three equal distances: have ready some truffles that are chamfered and cut into the shape of cocks'-combs, take about eight of these slices of truffles, lay them equally over one another, and introduce some into each of the slits that you have made, and next into the other two parts: take care not to make the slits too deep; do the same with regard to every one of the ten fillets. The filets mignons are only to be marked in clarified butter; do not forget to pull off the sinews, to prevent the fillets from taking a bad shape while frying. Mark the fillets in a saute pan with butter and round slices of truffles of an equal size, and sautez the fillets when dinner-time is at hand. For the sauce, see Sauce a la Lucullus; next drain the butter, put the round truffles cut in halves on the sauce, and keep the other halves to lay over the fillets. Make a kind of coronet with the large fillets, and dish the blanquette in the middle, standing nearly upright, by which is meant, that you are to press upon each intermediate one. This entree has a fine appearance when dished properly.